January/February weight management challenge

[goldfinch]

I agree that there is less weight loss research on those who lose weight over a long period of time versus those who lose very quickly and there should be more research on this issue. However, based on the weight control registry the successful people had a wide variety of ways they went about losing weight and their strategies have not seemed to correlate with success. Plus, there is the theoretical problem that the end result is the same, you lost a certain number of pounds and you still have fat cells. (Interestingly, the failure rate for bariatric surgery patients over the long term isn't good, but it is better than the long term failure rates reported on dieters, and the bariatric patients lose their weight fast). However, one thing that a slow loss may do that improves odds is you may have less of a risk of losing muscle along with the fat.

I lost my weight at about a pound a week over the course of a year. Any faster I would not have had adequate nutrition. Any slower would have driven me nuts as I needed at least some rewards and wanted to be able to do more things that were difficult to do at my weight. I think no matter how I lose weight (once I starved because I was sick, and 20 years later I lost weight slowly) I find it difficult to manage my food intake. But I can live with that.

More than how you lost weight the important factors seem to be how much you lost, how good you are at monitoring, whether you tend towards binges, how depressed you are, what kind of social support you have and how much you exercise. And maybe most important of all is your own genetic makeup, based on what has been found in twin studies. But more research is needed. I wouldn't assume though that the weight regains are tied to how the weight is lost.

[Catrin]

I lost 60 pounds in a bit over a year and reversed diabetes 2...16 months later I've only regained just under 4 pounds. That isn't from my smallest weight (which was from over-doing things), but from where my weight settled at after backing off after a developing several over-use injuries at the same time I had carried that weight for about a decade, and it was actually much higher - I had lost about 35 pounds over the previous 4 years.

16 months later I certainly still have to focus on what I eat and the balance of nutrition and exercise. If that is what it takes to keep the weight off for life, prevent a return of the diabetes, and to feel as good/active/young as I do - then I've no problem with that. As I've a sedentary job I do expect this to be a challenge, and that is fine.

[Catrin]

135.6 today

Do we have the spreadsheet yet? No problem if it isn't ready yet, just checking to see if I've missed it

[goldfinch]

I lost 60 pounds in a bit over a year and reversed diabetes 2...16 months later I've only regained just under 4 pounds.

Sign up for the weight loss registry!

[goldfinch]

I lost 60 pounds in a bit over a year and reversed diabetes 2...16 months later I've only regained just under 4 pounds.

Sign up for the weight loss registry!

[klesko]

I just sent in my application for the weight loss registry - feels good to be able to do that

[VeganBikeChick]

Since I posted a couple days ago, I've gained. Up to 179.5 today. I've been in a post break up funk and my diet reflects that. Also haven't been running due to a cold, but I was back at it today.

[klesko]

NY Biker - how did your 4.7 get cracked? Karen (klesko)
"<CRACKED> Gray Trek Madone 4.7 road bike with Bontrager Affinity R saddle"

[Catrin]

Sign up for the weight loss registry!

I didn't know there WAS such a thing until this thread...and I have signed up for it.

[goldfinch]

Klesko, Catrin, congratulations on the weight loss and maintenance. Keeping off weight is such a tough nut to crack and anything we can learn from people who are successful may help the rest of us, so thanks for joining the registry.

[Catrin]

I don't FEEL very successful, but really I am stressing out over an entire 4 pounds total gain in the last year when I've actually lost an entire 75 pounds from my heaviest? I need to get this into perspective. I just would like to be 10 pounds lighter, and in the scale of things, that really is nothing. But I still want to see 125 pounds...

[Veronica]

But I still want to see 125 pounds...

Are you sure 125 pounds is appropriate? If I weighed 125 I'd only have 5 pounds of body fat! And I'm not super tall - only 5'5".

Veronica

[channlluv]

225.4

'nkay

[goldfinch]

I don't FEEL very successful, but really I am stressing out over an entire 4 pounds total gain in the last year when I've actually lost an entire 75 pounds from my heaviest? I need to get this into perspective. I just would like to be 10 pounds lighter, and in the scale of things, that really is nothing. But I still want to see 125 pounds...

You are so incredibly successful. You are an inspiration to the rest of us!

I am only 4'11" and probably should weigh closer to 95 pounds, like I did when I was first in college, rather than the 108-110 I weigh now. But I feel like I have met my limit. But I understand wanting to be 10 pounds lighter. What I am trying to do is concentrate on building/maintaining muscle. I still remain way too high on body fat, but of course, not near as high as I was when I was heavy.

[Crankin]

I understand how you feel Catrin.
Everything I read says I should weight 105. But, I look fine a couple of pounds higher. My body fat is consistently around 16-18%, goes down in the summer. I'd really like it to be around 15% and am working on that at the gym. I guess the reason I want to shed a few pounds and get down to 105 or even below, is so I have some leeway here. I know I cannot live the rest of my life not eating bread.